Star wheel for matrix composing machines



Nov. 18, 1947. ELLIS 1 2,431,031

STAR WHEEL FOR MATRIX COMPOSING MACHINES Filed se t.'s0, 1 94s 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 i 1nue nlor y All 'ne vS Nov. 18, 1947. H. ELLIS 2,431,031

STAR WHEEL FOR MATRIX COMPOSING MACHINES Filed Spt. so, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ,km A] /9 3 lllorncy;

Patented Nov. 18, 1947 STAR WHEEL FOR MATRIX COMPOSHNG MACHINES Herbert Ellis, Shanghai, fihina Application September 30, 1943, Serial No. 504,500 In Great Britain August 20, 1942 1 12 Claims.

This invention relates to typographical composing machines of the kind wherein circulating matrices are released from a magazine in the order in which their characters are to appear in print and then assembled in line. The composed line is then transferred to the face of a mould, and the mould filled with molten metal to form a slug against the matrices which produce the type characters thereon.

In these machines it is usual for the matrices, upon their release from the magazines, to be carried downwards upon a belt to an assembling elevator in which they are assembled in line. At the lower end of the belt their progress is steadied by engagement with a spring known as a chute finger which also serves to cause them to strike a rotating star wheel. The star Wheel in turn pushes the matrices into line in the assembling elevator in an upright position. The said Wheel may be constructed of fibre and is usually formed with a number of arms, generally four in number, projecting from a central boss which is provided with a central aperture whereby the wheel is mounted on a spindle for rotation. In the matrices which are usually employed in these machines the edges of the sides are slightly raised from the central portion for a short distance and although this recessing of the central portion of the matrix is only slight it causes the outer edges of the arms of a new star wheel to become worn more quickly than the central portion. In addition, as the matrix descends the assembler belt, it is sometimes liable to deviate a little to one side or the other in spite of the operation of the chute finger so that it does not always strike the star wheel exactly in the centre but is sometimes a little to one side or the other. The result of these factors is that the arm-s of the star wheel finally present a camber so that they ultimately only engage the sides of the matrices at a single point which causes the said matrices to be assembled in an uneven manner.

It is the object of the present invention to overcome this disadvantage, and with this end in view the central portion of the arms of the star wheel is in the form of, or provided with, a yielding matrix engaging surface which preferably takes the form of a brush or brushes which may be formed of stiff bristle, wire or the like. Advantageously, one such brush is provided which is secured to or suitably embedded in the central boss of the wheel or an extension therefrom.

The star wheel may be provided with aplurality of arms extending from the centre, the said arms being provided with a projecting yielding matrix surface at the central end portion thereof. Alternatively, the wheel may be formed of a. plurality of sections laterally secured together, the central section or sections being provided with a projecting yielding matrix engaging surface. In either case radial spaces or slots extending outwards from the centre of the wheel are preferably provided. Advantageously, the arms are spaced into three portions, a central portion having an outwardly projecting brush, wire or the like and two side portions, the said brush, wire or the like extending beyond the side portions. The brush, Wire or the like is preferably embedded in a base of suitable material.

In a modification of the invention the arms of the star wheel are not provided with a yielding surface but are broken up into a plurality of sections divided by radial slots. Two such slots may be provided whereby the arms of the star wheel are in three sections, and the central section may be approximately twice the width of the side sections. The width of the slots may be substantially the same as the width of the side sections.

In order that the invention may be more clearly understood the same will now be illustrated in some of the preferred forms which it may assume with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure l is a front elevation of parts of the assembling mechanism of a, typographical composing machine showing the operation of the star Wheel;

Figure 2 shows an arm of a star wheel as heretofore constructed in a worn condition to illustrate the manner in which a matrix may be assembled askew by such a wheel;

Figure 3 is a side elevation of a star wheel constructed according to the present invention;

Figure 4 is a perspective View of the star wheel shown in Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a view of the said star wheel from the direction of the arrow in Figure 3;

Figure 6 is a side elevation of a star wheel according to a modification of the invention;

Figure 7 is a perspective view of the star wheel shown in Figure 6;

Figure 8 is a View of the said star wheel from the direction of the arrow in Figure 6.

Figure 9 is a section through Figure 3 on the line lX-IX showing a modification of the invention wherein the wheel is formed in sections laterally secured together;

Figures 10 and 11 are sections through Figure 6 on the line XX showing two modifications of the invention wherein the wheel is formed in sections laterally secured together.

Referring to Figure 1, the matrices are released from the magazines descending the channels l on to the assembler belt 2 which travels continuously in the direction of the arrow around the pulley 3 at its lower end, whencethey are directed by the deflecting plate 3 on to the star wheel 6, their progress being steadied by the chute finger 5. The star wheel 6 is rotating continuously and pushes the matrices 8 into line in the assembling elevator l against the line resistant -9 of the assembler slide. The star wheel is commonly constructed with four arms and as hereinbefore set forth, these arms are liable to become worn so that their ends present a camber. This condition is shown in Figure 2, wherein there is shown an arm 10 of a star wheel engaging a matrix B in such a manner that it is thrown into the line askew causing the same to be assembled in an uneven manner.

A star wheel according to one form of the present invention is shown in Figures 3 to of the accompanying drawings. The wheel may be constructed of fibre and is formed with a central aperture H by means of which the same is mounted in the machine upon a spindle for rotation. The wheel is formed with four arms and in the centre of each arm a brush I2 is provided which projects beyond the end of the arm. The said brush is constructed of stiff bristle, wire or the like and is embedded in or secured to suitable material I3. At either side of the brush are side sections Hi, It, which are spaced from the said brush and terminate in rounded prongs at the end of each arm. As shown in Figure 9 the star wheel may be assembled in three parts, the centre portion containing the brush i2 and the two side portions l4 and l5, the parts being laterally joined together by adhesive or in other suitable manner along the lines IS. The outward appearance of the wheel is in either case the same. If desired, the brush ['2 may occupy the whole of the space between the members l4 and l 5, but the construction illustrated in which spaces or slots are left on either side of the brush is preferred.

A modification of the invention is shown in Figures 6, 7 and 8. In this arrangement the star wheel is preferably constructed in one piece with a central aperture ll, and with four arms as in the previous construction. Each of the said arms is slotted for a portion of its distance radially towards the boss of the wheel, and as shown in the drawings, two slots are preferably provided so as to divide each, arm into a central section 16 and side sections l1 and 8 in the form of rounded prongs. The central section I6 is approximatel twice the width of the side sections l1 and I8 and the width of the slots dividing the sections is substantially equal to the width of the side sections il and i8. 'Inthe constructions shown in Figures and 11 the star wheelv of Figures 6, 7 and 8 is shown'in cross section. In Figure 10 the said wheel isiormed of three separate sections laterally secured together on the lines 20 shown in the said figure. In Figure I 1 the wheel is formed of five sections secured together along the lines 2|. The said sections may be secured together by adhesive or in any other suitable manner.

'I-Iaving described my invention, I declare that what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In or for a typographical composing machine a star wheel having a plurality of arms extending from the centre of the wheel, the said arms being formed of a plurality of sections spaced apart for a portion of their length, said sections being secured together and the central section being provided with a brush projecting beyond the other sections.

2. In or for a typographical composing machine a star wheel having a plurality of arms extending from its centre, the said arms being spaced radially towards their ends into portions, the central portion of each arm being provided with a brush projecting beyond the remainder of the arm.

'3. In or for a typographical composing machine a star wheel having a plurality of arms extending from a. central boss, each of said arms being divided into a central portion and. two side portions, the said central portion being formed with a brush projecting beyond the side portions.

4;. In or for a typographical composing machine a star wheel having a plurality of arms extending from a. central boss, said wheel being formed of three sections secured together so as to form slots between the central section and the side sections extending radially from the boss, the central section being provided with a brush projecting beyond the side sections.

5. In or for a typographical composing machine a star wheel having a plurality of arms extending from a central boss, the said arms being divided into three prongs separated by slot tending radially from said boss, the central prong being substantially twice the width of the side pron-gs.

'6. In or for a typographical composing machine a star wheel having 'a plurality of arms extending from a central boss, the said arms being divided into three prongs separated by slots extending radially from said boss the central prong being substantially twice the width of the side prongs, the slots being of substantially equal width to the side sections.

"7. In or for a typographical composing machine astar wheel having a central boss and four :radially extending arms each of the said arms being provided with three prongs separated by radial slots.

8. In or for a typographical composing machine astar wheel having a central boss and four radially extending arms each of the said arms being provided with three prongs separated by radial slots, the central prong being provided witha projecting yielding matrix-engaging surface at the outer end thereof.

9. In or for a typographical composing machine astar wheel having a central boss and four evenly spaced radially extending arm-s each of the said arms being provided with three prongs sepgaging surface at the outer end thereof.

11. In :or for a typographical composing machine a star wheel :having .a plurality of arms extending from the centre of the wheel, the said arms :being "formed of a plurality of sections secured together the central portion thereof being provided with a brush projecting beyond the end of thearm.

12. In or for a typographical composing machine, a matrix stacking device in the form of a UNITED STATES PATENTS star wheel built up of sections laterally secured Number Name Date together and having a plurality of arms extending 527,702 Mergenthaler Oct 16 1894 from a central boss, the said arms being divided 5 664,860 Hensley Jan 1 1991 into prongs separated by slots extending radially 1,795,736 Phelps Man 1931 mm Bald 1,842,356 Turner Jan, 19, 1932 1,858,119 Sperry May 10, 1932 HERBERT ELLIS- 10 2,003,272 Betz May 28, 1935 REFERENCES CITED FOREIGN PATENTS The following references are of record in the Number Country Date file of this patent: 10,374 Great Britain May 14, 1896 

